Governor to visit Kohl’s

WURTSBORO — Governor George Pataki will visit the Mamakating construction site for a new Kohl’s Distribution Center this summer.

Pataki is coming for a belated groundbreaking ceremony on the 11-acre site, where construction actually started last November. Project steelwork is already plainly visible from nearby Route 209.

Pataki’s visit is scheduled for July 10, when he will meet with state, local and company officials to christen the center, which is expected to bring about $40 million per year into the local economy and some 300 new jobs by September of this year. When fully operational, the center is expected to employ up to 900 persons.

Bonacic to hold constituent day

HORTONVILLE — The Town of Delaware will host a constituent day with Senator John Bonacic’s staff on June 20 from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m., at the town hall, 104 Main Street. JoAnn Drake from Senator Bonacic’s New Paltz office will be on hand to answer questions and hear any concerns you have for the Senator. This is an opportunity to voice your opinion and bring forward issues that you feel need the Senator’s attention.

Plane crash kills three

HONESDALE — State police say a single-engine Cessna airplane crashed into a farmer’s field off Beach Grove Road in Dyberry Township on June 11.

All three passengers were killed in the 10:15 a.m. crash.

Peter Ledbetter, 56, of Corona, California was piloting the plane. Passengers were his son, Michael Ledbetter, 32, also from Corona, and Richard Davis, 53, of Rutland, VT, who was an agent trying to sell the plane to Ledbetter, according to Wayne County Coroner Dr. Edward Murray.

Witnesses said that the six-seater was already in flames before it hit the ground. The plane took off from Seamans Field in Factoryville, about 40 miles west of the crash site. Nothing further was known about the destination or the purpose of the flight.

A team from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has investigated the crash.

Racial slurs on car

BLOOMING GROVE — Pennslyvania State Police are investigating a case of racial slurs scribbled on a car at the Greene Township home of 41-year old Kevin Clare. The message was written on the victim’s car while it was parked in his driveway along Kuhn Hill Road sometime between 6:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Police say the words were written across the side of the car using a permanent marker.

Accident leaves cyclist dead

HAWLEY — A motorcyclist swerved into on-coming traffic at 5:25 p.m. on June 10 while traveling west on Route 590, a half mile east of Route 6 near Hawley, according to state police at Honesdale.

The cyclist, a male, was pronounced dead at Wayne Memorial Hospital soon after. State Police said the name of the cyclist is being withheld until relatives have been notified.

Bernice Engvaldsen, 63, of Hawley, was the driver of the car, traveling east. She sustained no injuries.

Engvaldsen was wearing a seatbelt and the cyclist was wearing a helmet.

State police are investigating the accident.

Long Island City woman charged in Lumberland carjacking

POND EDDY — State police at Middletown on June 11 charged a Long Island City woman with carjacking a vehicle on Route 97.

Ivette M. Bernabe, 44, was charged with felony second-degree robbery. Police say Bernabe approached another driver on State Route 97, requesting a ride for her and her two children. Bernabe reportedly had told the driver of the vehicle that her husband threatened to kill her and asked for a ride to Port Jervis.

However Bernabe brandished a mace container upon entering the vehicle with her children, and forced the driver out of the car.

Bernabe drove south toward Port Jervis, before being apprehended by police.